Best places to take pictures in London
The bustling city of London is chock-full of Instagrammable places, from the royal residence Kensington Palace to the modern Sky Garden housed on the top floor of a skyscraper. 🤳🏼 We’ve rounded up some of the best photo spots across England’s capital. Sit back with a cuppa and discover our top 10 Instagrammable places to take photos in London. 🍵
Here at Flytographer, we easily connect people with trusted photographers for fun photo shoots and have captured over three million memories worldwide. Today, we asked our local photographers in London to show us around all the very best spots for pictures.
TLDR
(a little sneak peek for you!)
- Westminster Bridge & Big Ben. The bridge offers a fantastic vantage point of the Big Ben and is a must-stop photo spot.
- King Charles Street. This is a great spot to capture the feel of old central London and is conveniently located.
- Tower Bridge & Tower of London. Tower Bridge (hint: it’s not London Bridge!) in the South Bank are distinctly “London.”
- Notting Hill. Rows of colourful pastel houses offer an incredible variety of Instagram-worthy photography spots.
- Covent Garden & Piccadilly. Explore the quaint neighbourhood of London’s cultural West End.
- Shoreditch & Brick Lane. A unique side of London – filled with colourful graffiti, gritty streets, and a lively buzz.
- Buckingham Palace & Mayfair. Home to the royals, but we can’t guarantee that you’ll spot the King.
- Shad Thames. Boasts an industrial old London look and feel because the buildings along this historic street are all original and date back to the 1900s!
- Millennium Bridge. You get bonus points if you try and re-enact any of the Hollywood movie scenes that feature this bridge!
- Regent’s Park. One of many Royal Parks in London and boasts beautifully manicured landscaping and regal touches.
Photo: Jimmy in London for Flytographer. Omonele and family capture memories on a trip to London with a family photoshoot.
1. Westminster Bridge & Big Ben
Our first highlighted route hits many top places to take photos in London all at once. Start at the Houses of Parliament, then follow the River Thames to Big Ben, the London Eye, and Millennium Bridge for a tour of London’s most iconic monuments. Stop at a classic red telephone booth along the way for a must-have Instagram photo, and then hop on a red double-decker bus for a ride around the city as the Londoners do! 📞
Photo: Hector in London for Flytographer. Rachel and partner capture memories on Westminster Bridge with a couple photoshoot.
2. King Charles Street
Tucked away just a few steps across Westminster Bridge, the famous King Charles Street is the real underdog photo spot. It has been used in many Hollywood movies, such as Sherlock Holmes, The Avengers, and many more. 🎥 This is a great spot to capture the feel of old central London, and is conveniently located near “the tube” with a lovely vantage point of the London Eye, Parliament Buildings and Big Ben. Navigating the London Underground system is a rite of passage for any London visitor!
Photo: Emily in London for Flytographer. Kayla and family capture memories in London with a family photoshoot on King Charles Street.
3. Tower Bridge & Tower of London
Tower Bridge (hint: it’s not London Bridge!) and the Tower of London in the South Bank are distinctly “London.” The best time to walk along the Thames is at golden hour, especially sunrise, to have the views to yourself. 🌅 In addition to seeing one of London’s most iconic attractions, the city views from Tower Bridge are tough to beat!
Photo: Emily in London for Flytographer. Caroline and partner capture memories near the Tower Bridge in London on a couple photoshoot.
4. Notting Hill
The famous Portobello Road runs almost the entire length of Notting Hill, and it’s a must-visit on Saturdays when it is overtaken by stalls selling everything from pastries to vintage clothing to antiques in one of London’s most famous street markets. 🥐 St Luke’s Mews boasts the infamous pink house from the motion picture, Love Actually. After daydreaming about being swept away by Hugh Grant, head on over to The Churchill Arms for a pint. 🍻 It’s one of the most gorgeous pubs with a beautiful exterior for photos! Notting Hill certainly does not disappoint with the rows of colourful houses in an array of pastel colours that offer an incredible variety of Instagram-worthy photography spots.
Photo: Emily in London for Flytographer. Brittany and their partner capture memories in the neighbourhood of Notting Hill in London on a couple photoshoot.
5. Covent Garden & Piccadilly
The perfect stop to discover along our Covent Garden & Piccadilly route, Trafalgar Square is the central hub of London’s cultural West End.🌲 It’s just a short walk from Leicester Square cinemas and theatres, as well as home to the beautiful National Gallery. This is also a perfect spot to walk towards Buckingham Palace, with a view of the London Eye along the way. 🎡
Photo: Hector in London for Flytographer. Karen and family capture memories in Covent Garden & Piccadilly in London on a family photoshoot.
6. Shoreditch & Brick Lane
For totally unique vibes in central London, we recommend Shoreditch, filled with colourful graffiti, gritty streets, and a lively buzz.✨ Don’t miss Spitalfields Market, a covered market — helpful for London’s trademark drizzle — perfect for browsing local arts, vintage items, and more. Creative types and tech-heads have recently breathed new life into this unique corner of London where curry houses, street art and trend-setters coexist in a uniquely vibrant scene. The Barbican Centre is the perfect addition to our Brick Lane and Spitalfields route; we love the Brutalist architecture at this London icon!
Photo: Hector in London for Flytographer. Ruby and family capture memories in front of a mural in Shoreditch & Brick Lane in London on a family photoshoot.
7. Buckingham Palace & Mayfair
You can’t get more London than this iconic London landmark. 🏰 Home to the royals, we can’t guarantee that you’ll spot the Queen, but watching the changing of the guard is a bucket-list experience. Our guide to the top places to take photos in London would simply not be complete without including Buckingham Palace! Get there early to stake out a great view! Continue your stroll through central London via the posh enclave of Mayfair.
Photo: Jimmy in London for Flytographer. Jessica and partner pose in front of Buckingham Palace in London on a couple photoshoot.
8. Shad Thames
One of the most iconic symbols of London, Tower Bridge boldly spans the River Thames, but dig deeper and you’ll discover one of Jimmy’s favourite London spots on our Tower Bridge route, Shad Thames. 📸
“My favourite ‘private’ area for photoshoots is Shad Thames. It has that super industrial old London look and feel because the buildings along this historic street are all original and date back to the 1900s. The buildings and bridges that connect them were once used for manufacturing and shipping tea leaves. When the tide is low, you can get some cracking low shots close to Tower Bridge, but be careful, the rocks can be very slippery during low tide.” – Jimmy in London
Photo: Jimmy in London for Flytographer. Eliza and partner capture memories on their trip to London with a couple photoshoot in Shad Thames.
9. Millennium Bridge
Do you know of a certain British wizard named Harry Potter? Fans will recognize Millennium Bridge from the final movie … when it was completely destroyed 🤯 Never fear! The real bridge is as perfect as ever, offering knockout views of St. Paul’s Cathedral from the bridge. Discover Millennium Bridge along our Iconic London or St. Paul’s Cathedral routes, and post-shoot, head to the nearby Tate Modern for a dose of modern art. 🎨
Photo: Jimmy in London for Flytographer. Dana and partner capture memories at sunset on the Millennium Bridge in London on a couple photoshoot.
10. Regent’s Park
Nestled between the City of Westminster and the borough of Camden lies a picturesque oasis in the middle of an urban metropolis. 🌳 Venture here if you are looking for intimate feeling and a sweet escape of the city-feeling. As the name suggests, Regent’s Park is one of many Royal Parks in London and boasts beautifully manicured landscaping and regal touches with beautiful, flowing fountains and winding pathways. 🌿
Photo: Emily in London for Flytographer. Parker and partner capture their surprise proposal on a trip to London with a couple photoshoot in Regent’s Park.
Capture memories in London
The city of London is packed with stunning photo locations, and you truly can’t go wrong when it comes to this beautiful city. Explore our London Travel Tips to help plan the perfect itinerary, and capture the magic in one of these top places to take photos in London with one of our talented local Flytographers. If your travels take you to other parts of the United Kingdom, be sure to check out the best photo spots in Edinburgh and Dublin while you are at it! Our team of professional photographers is here to help you look amazing in your photos from your trip!
“Emily was absolutely amazing to work with! She was helpful, kind and really engaging with our children. She also offered great insight into London and the area we were in, going so far as to offer suggestions for things to do and places to go! These photos are the most amazing souvenir I could ask for, and we are beyond happy with our experience.”
Emily
“By far the most effortless and fun photoshoot we’ve ever done – it was like strolling through London with an old friend and getting some shots taken along the way. Emily checked with us every now and then if we liked the photos taken so far, and also if we had any particular shots that we wanted. We loved every single photo that we received – we’ve never looked better! If you want the best memories of your trip to London, Emily is your girl!”
Janice
“Jackie was the absolute best. I am no model by any means and told Jackie I need some directions with how to pose. She was more than happy to help guide me and came up with some really cute and creative shots. She kept me smiling and laughing the entire time and the shoot went by fast because we had such a great time talking the entire time. Would HIGHLY recommend booking Jackie if you are in London and want some really great photos!”
Katie
